Coming Soon to an Organization near You…

Want to render your resume ineffective? Yeah, I didn’t think so. Unfortunately, people do it all the time by not taking a step back to think about what a resume really is. Here are a few simple mistakes to avoid, and a new way of looking at resumes in general.

Think of it as a movie trailer. No, really. That’s exactly what a resume is, a trailer exposing just enough of who you are as an employee to get employers interested in bringing you in for an interview. It may sound a little silly at first, but if you think about how movie trailers suck in audiences, they are one and the same.

With that being said…

Don’t make your objective statement about what you want. Your audience isn’t interested in that information right off the bat. They want to know what it is you can do for them, because, if you think about it, why else would they hire you? Give them a reason to keep watching the trailer, that’s where you convince them to see the feature-length film.

Think relevance, it’ll do you a world of good. The more irrelevant information you present to an employer the less effective your resume becomes. Yes, your hobbies are part of who you are, but if they are not relevant to the position, why bring them up? That would be like introducing an extra in the trailer. Employers want to see skills and experience that prove your merit as a candidate for the position, give them the big name characters, an explosion or two, and presto, you’ve got them wanting more.

If you really want to wow them, think about making a video resume. Video resumes are (obviously) even more like movie trailers in that there’s a video component involved. Not only do they get the information they need to assess your qualifications, but they get to see you, catch a glimpse of your personality, and start to visualize you within their company. Take the time to ensure your trailer, be it on paper or in a video clip, is relevant, targeted, and professional, and you’ll have them lining up at the box office in no time.